It started with a call
by T0.pazzz
Summary: Cisco's phone rings at 3 am and he knows its anything but good news. Takes place after 3x9


A/N: This came to me awhile ago and it would not go away until i wrote it. I'm a huge flash fan and I absolutely love Cisco and Iris and I always felt that they had potential to be amazing friends on the show so I guess this came from there. It picks up from 3x9. This is NOT a Cisco/iris romantic pairing. Just exploring a different side to their relationship.

Disclaimer: None of these characters belong to me. They are the property of CW. No infringement is intended.

* * *

When Cisco's phone rang at 3 am in the morning, he was sure it was bad news. No one calls at 3 am to tell you you've just won the lottery.

He was not asleep, he hadn't been able to sleep for some time, so he had laid awake staring at the ceiling in his apartment, thinking about his dead brother and willing time to move faster so he could go to work.

At work he didn't have to think too much about Dante. He was happy at work around his machines and tools and most importantly his friends who were more like family but friends.

When his phone rang it was almost a welcome relief, except he knew it was probably bad news. Hopefully just some bad meta-humans who were also suffering from insomnia. Nothing too serious, no deaths, no aliens...no savitar was the mantra on repeat in his head as he reached for his phone on his nightstand.

Of all the faces he expected to see on his phone, hers was the last. Possibly because most 3 am calls were usually Barry or Caitlin once even HR but never her. Something must be wrong. Something must have happened to Barry. When he answers he's already running through the possibilities. "Iris? What's the matter?, is Barry okay?.. Is it a new meta-human?, where's Barry?, did he...

"Cisco".

And he stops talking. He's never heard Iris sound like this before. She barely even sounds like Iris. He's immediately more alarmed than five seconds ago. "Cisco, I'm not...something's wrong with me, I'm bleeding. I cant move..i'm scared. You have to come. Barry is...I can't...I don't know where he is...Cisco...i'm so scared, there's so much blood, I..."

He's already in his car by the time she's trailed off and the fact that she's not talking anymore scares him more than anything. He's already speeding but that makes him fly through the near empty streets. He tries to keep her talking while at the same time tries to control the panic and hysteria he feels slowly surfacing.

"Iris, keep talking to me I'm almost there."

At first he hears nothing, and he quickly glances down in his lap to make sure the call is still connected.

"Iris, please. I need to know you're okay...please". He can feel the tears building behind his eyes.

"Cisco."

He breaths deeply when he hears her voice. Its very faint, fainter than earlier but its still there.

"Cisco, I feel so sleepy. I know i need to stay awake, but I can't. I think I might be dying."

He nearly screams from frustration, why is he not there yet, he should have reached already. He's feels himself getting angry but he knows the angry is directed at himself. "

Iris, you'll be fine. I'm already in front of your apartment."

And 1 minuite later he is.

He's taking the stairs three at time and praying that he's not too late.

When he finally reaches their door, he quickly opens it with the spare key that has been practically glued to his hands for the last ten minuites.

And then he's inside the apartment screaming for Iris. He finds her quickly... Unconscious, phone still in hand and surrounded in blood, he barely takes time to assess the scene before she's in his arms and he's out the door. 

* * *

Sitting in the waiting room of the hospital, he can't stop shaking his leg.

He's been waiting for an hour and still no news on Iris. He's a wreck, his hair looked like a tangled bird's nest because he had ran his fingers through it so many times about as much times he had tried calling Barry, Joe, and even Wally. Where was everyone?

Did aliens land again in their spaceship and someone forgot to come get him. He was this close to calling Felicity or Oliver. T

o make matters worse, the one person who could even remotely be of help in this situation was visiting her mother. He was just about to hit redial again when the doctor who had taken her when he had came in an hour ago holding her bridal style and covered in her blood reappeared. Everything else forgotten he immediately jumped up from his seat and rushed to the doctor.

Seeing Iris sitting up in bed and sipping water through a straw seemed somewhat of a surreal experience, especially since not an hour ago he had thought she had died in his arms, not when he had seen her covered in blood and not when he was convinced she had stopped breathing twice on the way to the hospital.

The words wouldn't seem to form but he could feel the annoying tears at the back of his eyes again. So instead of saying anything, he just hugged her and then he knew he was crying and he really didn't care. Iris was alive. Iris was alive and drinking water through a straw. He could laugh. Iris was okay.

Except...she wasn't. Well at least she hadn't been an hour ago.

He pulled away gently but kept his hands on her shoulders as he looked at her solemnly.

"What happened?..I thought you had di.." He couldn't even bring himself to say the words. "I thought you were gone. You were unconscious and I.." He chocked up again. She grabbed his hands and held then while looking up at him.

"Cisco, I'm fine. I'm okay. Look, see. Totally fine. I don't even really have to stay overnight."

Cisco would like to think that he knew his team. Team flash. His family. Iris was in some ways his sister. They had grown close after all the cases and late nights working together. He would like to think he knew his team. His family. He would like to think he knew Iris and right now he knew Iris was lying. She was not fine. She was not okay. Something was wrong.

"Iris, its okay. Tell me what happened. I know what I saw and I know you're not okay and that's okay because I'm your team, your family, your brother and you can be not okay around me. Please."

After saying that the tears started coming. Slowly at first but then fast and hurried and he wasn't sure who reached for who first but suddenly they were hugging each other like their life depended on it and both of them were crying buckets.

He's not sure how long they stayed that way but he realized that they both had a long night...it was needed and in some ways long over due. It felt like he was not just crying for Iris and tonight but everything that had gone wrong in all of their lives so suddenly. Dante's death, Savitar, Caitlin's new powers.

It felt like finally he was allowing himself to grieve for all the unwanted changes and traumas and maybe now he could heal.

When they finally pulled apart he felt 100 times lighter and was ready to face whatever Iris would tell him. She would be okay. She had the team. Her family, however he was not expecting the words that came out of her mouth.

" I was pregnant Cisco. I lost the baby." and then she was crying again.

To say he was shocked would have been an understatement he knew her and Barry had been dating awhile and had recently moved in together but pregnant? They were trying to start a family? He had so many questions he wanted to ask but right now he knew Iris needed time and more importantly, she needed Barry.

He reached for his phone that he had carelessly threw on the hospital night stand to call Barry again when Iris hands on his stopped him.

"Cisco." she wouldn't look at him.

"Cisco, you can't tell Barry". I know, before you say anything I know how it sounds but you know how he is. He'll think its his fault and he'll blame himself for not being here. It'll eat at him. He won't forgive himself. Please. Cisco you can't tell him."

She finally looked at him her eyes desperately searching his.

"Iris you know I can't lie to him. If he finds out and then he finds out I didn't tell him...he'll never forgive me. Iris he's my bestfriend. I have to tell him".

"Please Cisco. I'll tell him. Just not now but i will, soon, I just need some time."

He looked at her and she squeezed his hands tightly. He could already feel him will power crumbling.

"Cisco I promise. I just need time. Please. You saw how he was after Savitar. He's just now getting back to being our Barry. Please."

Though he hated to admit it. She was right. After Barry had come back from throwing the box into the speed force he hadn't exactly been the same and they had all noticed. Cisco had tried to talk to him about it and he had played it off and blamed it on tiredness but they knew something was wrong. So his will crumbled a bit more and soon he found himself agreeing.

Only for now he promised himself. I'll give her a while to tell him. She'll tell him. But even to himself, those words sounded a bit hollow.


End file.
